Sequential Circuits Inc. Six-trak "Lets your multi-talents shine through" ad, Keyboard 1984

Sequential Circuits Inc. Six-trak synthesizer "Lets your multi-talents shine through" full-page colour advertisement from page 54 in the June 1984 issue of Keyboard Magazine.

It's the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada and I've run away to the family farm to hide out. Because I can't lug all my gear with me, its a wonderful opportunity to spend some time focusing on one or two pieces of software. So this time I just brought the studio laptop, the RME Babyface audio interface, and Reason. Just upgraded from 6.5 to 7 and although I've been noodling with Reason for a number of years, its been good to get a chance to really dig-in deep. The last time I did this sort of thing, I brought out my first-generation netbook with Ubuntu and ReNoise. And a whole lot of sample CDs. Just to push the limits of that small system. Good times... good times... I recommend trying this out for yourself - seclusion and a laptop (oh... and a half-bottle of wine.   :)

But, I did take some time out of my Reason-a-thon to get a blog post done. Here we have SCI's next phase in the promotion of their Six-Trak synthesizer. The company had spent the previous few months promoting the synth as part of the "Traks" system  - but the synth was in need of some good solo ad time. It deserves it.

This new advertisement ran considerably longer than the previous two-page centerfold ad - from June to December 1984, without missing an issue. That's a considerable feat, especially considering that SCI had a number of other instruments to promote at the time as well - Prophet 600, T8, etc...

Sequential Circuits could have taken the easy way out and reused the ad-copy from the original two-pager (it was great ad-copy!), but instead decided to shrink it all down considerably to make room for that one big honking photo with the ad-copy above it.  And for good reason - it was promoting the best (and most obvious) thing about the synth - six individual synths! Yummy.

The big text above the photo that focuses on the instrument tracks is almost too big. But I don't care because that diagram is worth a thousand words, and lets the rest of the ad-copy focus on the other three reasons to buy a Six-Trak - Sequencer, Arpeggiator, and Stack Mode.  They even include a small photo of the front panel buttons. Awesome. And adorable.

Interestingly, even though SCI does mention the other two products in what was originally referred to in the previous 2-page centerfold ad as the "Traks Music System", only one gets mentioned by name - the Drumtraks. The Model 64 cartridge is only referenced as expansion software. I'm beginning to think the 'Traks" system's day is pretty much done.

Oddly, although it is the Model 64 that gets the shaft in this advertisement, a few months before, the Six-Trak Spec Sheet promo gave the shaft to the DrumTraks, with just simple mention, while giving the Model 64 a few lines of its own promo space. The Model 64 got its own Spec Sheet a month or two previously, but I guess it still makes sense to push it a bit in this Spec Sheet since it does offer program storage and increased sequencer storage.

But don't you worry - the focus is on the specs of the synthesizer though - and deservedly so. Just typing out this Spec Sheet makes me wish I brought my Six-Trak with me to the farm - now that Reason 7 finally includes external MIDI support, the Six-Trak would have been the perfect multi-timbral with to use it with  :)

"SCI synthesizer. The Six-Trak is a multi-timbral polyphonic synthesizer that allows you to play six completely different instrument sounds at one time, either by layering up to six sounds on one key or by addressing those sounds with the on-board multi-track sequencer. Sequencer functions include record, playback, programmable playback speed, programmable track volume changes, variable resolution error-correction, track duplication, and over 800-note storage capacity. You can also combine live playing and multi-track sequencing. The synthesizer section of the instrument provides six voices, each with its own VCO and VCF. There are also three ADSRs per voice, for controlling oscillator frequency, filter cutoff frequency, and amplifier gain. Up to 100 programs can be stored in memory. Parameter values are edited with a single knob, parameter number and value being indicated by LED readout. Pitch and modulation wheels are supplied. The unit is also MIDI-equipped and can be linked to SCI's Model 64 MIDI sequencer and Drumtraks programmable drum machine. The Model 64 sequencer offers increased sequencer storage (4,000 notes), program storage on cassette or disk, sequence transposition, alternate keyboard modes, and forthcoming music display and editing functions. Sequential Circuits, 3051 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95134."

Poor Drumtraks - the most expensive of them all - and yet just the briefest of mentions.

It deserves some me-time as well. And it will get it in the next blog post!

Sequential Circuits Inc. Model 610 Six-Trak, Model 400 Drumtraks and Model 64 "Your Personal Orchestra" ad, Keyboard 1984

Sequential Circuits Inc. Model 610 Six-Trak, Model 400 Drumtraks and Model 64 sequencer "Your Personal Orchestra" 2-page full colour advertisement from pages 50 and 51 in the February 1984 issue of Keyboard Magazine.

The Sequential Six-Trak (with a hyphen) and DrumTraks (without a hyphen) are both pieces of kit that played a huge role in the early music I was creating in the 90s. By that time, their prices had plummeted to all-time lows and could be found in pawn shops and on the used instruments shelves in my local synth shop. And I snatched up both as soon as I came across them.

I was already familiar with multi-timbral instruments thanks to my Casio CZ5000 and Yamaha TX81Z, but it was that purchase of my Six-Trak that really helped me learn subtractive synthesis. Even through that wee little programming display panel it was relatively easy to come up with deep bleepy analogue sounds. 

This two-page centerfold ad received a four-month run from February to May 1984. And was totally worth every inch of ad-space. Sequential Circuits was really pushing the "Traks Music System" during this time period, a system "tailored to fit your specific music needs one step at a time as you can afford it".

The layout of the ad itself is a feat of ingenious design - even with two pages to work with, the designer had to fit a wack of ad-copy around two feature-sized instruments as well as two smaller images. All while keeping the font size large enough for old people like myself from putting on their reading glasses.  The ad-copy for the Model 64 gets a little lost from the photo of the computer and interface, but I can live with that.

As good as the layout is, the ad-copy is even better. From the introductory questions that would be right at home coming out of a fast-talking host of a two-minute television gadget commercial, through the flow of text covering each piece of gear, the reader can actually take away a fair bit of information.

In particular, I love the section on the Six-Trak - the name drop of the more famous Prophet synthesizers right at the beginning, as well as the focus on it's features such as the sequencer, arpeggiator and stack mode (my favorite mode!).

But what I absolutely love best best best, is the fact they included retail prices. And with that, the fact that the Drumtraks drum machine was actually $200 more expensive than the Six-trak synthesizer. $1,295.00 compared to $1,095.00. A great example of the price musicians paid for "digitally recorded real drums" in 1984. Ouch. 

The Model 64 sequencer, which I blogged about early last week in it's featured ad, had already ended its ad-run by the time this ad appeared, but the little sequencer box got a bit of an extra push because it also got a Spec Sheet promo in this February issue. It's really interesting to look at from an historical perspective to see just how much we take sequencing technology for granted now. Back then, the tech was so new that this Spec Sheet promo became a lot longer just so it could all be explained properly. Truly amazing.

"SCI MIDI sequencer. the Model 64 MIDI sequencer is a cartridge that plugs into the memory expansion port of a Commodore 64 personal computer, taking advantage of that system's portability, memory capacity, cassette or disk storage, and video interface. The unit records whatever is played by storing the MIDI information sent from any MIDI-equipped instrument compatible with the rev 1.0 MIDI spec. Up to 400 notes can be recorded. The unit also stores velocity, pitch-bend, and modulation information if the synthesizer is so equipped. For playback, the sequencer sends MIDI information back to the synthesizer either as recorded in real-time or as auto-corrected for subtle timing errors. The playback tempo can be varied by using either the internal clock or an external clock from some device like a drum machine. The sequencer memory can be allocated to 8 independent variable-length sequences, each of which can have 5 tracks for over-dubbing. These are 8 timing error-correct values. Lowest resolution is a quarter note; highest is a sixty-fourth-note. A sequence can be transposed over a 6-octave range. A library of songs can be built by chaining sequences together and storing them on disk or cassette. The unit can be operated with or without a video monitor. LEDs on the cartridge identify up to four sequences and indicate record, play, overdub, and storage functions. Price is $195.00 for the cartridge and manual. Sequential Circuits, 3051 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95134."

Best thing I learned from this spec sheet - that you could actually use the sequencer WITHOUT a video monitor. I'm not too sure how easy that would have been - but just the fact that Keyboard made the point of including that in the Spec Sheet is bonkers-crazy cool!

I'll leave you with a cool video of the Model 64 sequencer controlling Moog's Animoog synth. Nice. 

Sequential Circuits Inc. Model 64 Sequencer "The $195.00 Sequencer" ad, Keyboard 1983

Sequential Circuits Inc. Model 64 Sequencer "The $195.00 Sequencer" full page black & white advertisement from page 13 in the November 1983 issue of Keyboard Magazine.

Not so long ago a friend came over with his Commodore 64. No, not for music-making, but for a night of Donkey Kong-ing and other retro-gaming. Good times... good times...

I do recall that one of the first MIDI systems I ever saw running was a Model 64 with a Commodore 64. I hardly remember anything about that system except the small dark brick sticking out of the computer with MIDI cords attached. It was cool, and I was definitely hooked as soon as I saw it.

My first computer sequencer was Master Tracks running on an Apple IIe - I had to borrow money from my parents to pay for it. Then, when I finally upgraded to a Mac IIci, I purchased MOTU Performer 3.61 which soon became 3.64.

Then at work I had to learn Twelve Tone System's CakeWalk Dos, and then an early Windows version. Since then, I've never really left CakeWalk and would probably be considered one of those outspoken Sonar users everybody hates to be in a room with. I will admit I also have licenses for ReNoise, Reason (just ordered 7!) and a few other sequencer packages, but I usually end up powering up Sonar for the heavy lifting. 

But lets get back to the Commodore 64. After playing those games that night, I knew I had to find a Commodore 64 of my own to play around on. I waited very patiently for a clean one to make it's way onto eBay Canada, and pounced as soon as one popped up. It came with A TON of software - cartridges and disks - including the way-cool GEO OS with it's graphic user interface. Think early Apple Mac. Just look at that drawing program screen shot if you don't believe me. Look over there   ----->

Alas, there was no MIDI software or hardware included in the box that showed up on my door step. And so I wait... and wait... and wait... for a reasonably-priced Model 64 or similar Commodore 64 sequencer to come my way.

I would even consider the original $195.00 price tag featured in the title of this advertisement a reasonable price to pay for the enjoyment of again seeing a Commodore 64 MIDI system in action. And I'm guessing that if you are musician that already had a Commodore 64 and a Prophet-600 synthesizer, $195.00 probably wasn't going to blow the bank account either.

BTW - not sure if you noticed it, but if you look under the Commodore 64 in the ad photo, what do you see? A Linn LM-1 drum machine! It's not often you see other company's products in an advertisement, but you can probably look at this as one of the earlier pairing of Roger Linn and Dave Smith. A partnership that would bear fruit years later.   :)

The ad-copy provides us with a great glimpse into the early history of one of the major forces behind the development of MIDI - Dave Smith and SCI. Even nine months after the SCI launched the first commercial MIDI synthesizer, the Prophet-600, the whole idea that there was now this one musical standard available called MIDI that *any* manufacturer could build into their products to connect directly to other manufacturer's products was still very alien.

So, what did an early computer-based sequencer get you?

• 4000 note storage, including velocity, pitch bend and modulation amounts
• storage of nine independent polyphonic, real-time sequences of variable length with up to five overdub tracts available per sequence
• song composition: sequences may be linked together to build up to nine different songs of variable length
• auto-correct, transpose, and playback features
• save and load to tape
• select clock pulse, up to eight settings available for optimum drum box interfacing

Not too shabby.

Although a rare beast in 1983, by 1987 the computer-based sequencer was firmly catching on, and a flourish of products had became available. For the Commodore 64 alone there was Moog's Song Producer that used the Moog Manybus MIDI interface, MIDI/8 Plus by Passport that used its own interface, Keyboard Controller Sequencer by Dr. T's Music software that used its own interface, and Studio One by Syntech Corp that used MIDI interfaces produced by Syntech themselves, as well as Dr. T's, Passport, Sequential or Yamaha.

But sequencers weren't the only MIDI programs available. A number of MIDI patch librarians for DX/TX and CZ synths by many of the companies already mentioned above became available by 1987. There was also algorithmic MIDI composers, MIDI echo/arpeggiators, MIDI filters/channel-reassigners, and even a mini-sampler called Sound Sampler by SFX Computer Software Commodore Business Machines Ltd. that included a microphone and 1.2 seconds of sampling.

And that's just for the Commodore 64. Hardware and software for the IBM PC and compatibles, Apple Macintosh (Performer - yay!), Apple II, Atari ST and even the TI 99/4a were also out of the gates and getting into the hands of computer musicians.

Why do I know this? Not because I saw all of these programs in action.  But because a long while back I was lucky enough to be given the 1987 book "The Complete Gudie to MIDI software" by Howard Massey and the staff of PASS (Public Access Synthesizer Studio) in New York. If you are into retro computer MIDI software, definitely search out a copy.

While I'm waiting for a vintage Commodore 64 sequencer (hardware and software) to come my way, I have to say I am quite curious about the more recent MSSIAH MIDI SID hardware/software from 8bitventures.com.  It looks like it could keep me busy while I wait.

Yup. Gonna have to order it.

Right after I'm done with this post.  Which is now.

Yup.  :)